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This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

I've read the arguments for and against having coworkers as friends. But I just can't help it. Right up there with family and friends I've made outside of work are my coworkers. I love them so much, and I always have.

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one panel of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

Once again Dr. Pete Bashara and his family invited the doctors and their spouses and other special guests to the Nebraska Humane Society party and fund raiser, Black Tie and Tails. It was held on Saturday, April 21, 2018. And once again it was one of Russ and my favorite evenings!

Here is a beautifully artistic super secret picture of the Bashara family. In reality, I just didn't get the lighting right : )

The night started with a silent auction (We won the bread basket and the bird feeder basket!). Next was dinner and a summary of some of the incredible things the Humane Society has accomplished this year.

I hardly got any pictures! We looked pretty dressy, and Dr. Taplett and Andrea Bashara (as always) looked GORGEOUS. The dogs were adorable. The cutest of the dogs was a black and tan Greyhound mix up for adoption (Nope, still holding steady at 2 dogs and 3 fish!)

We had such a good time, and are encouraged about all the Nebraska Humane Society continues to do for the animals and people of our city and beyond.

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!

Dr. Ethics took me on a ride in his hot air balloon once. It was so fun. I think he really would have loaned it to me to get home. He has some very kind tendencies. Also, it is a hot air balloon going to Omaha, like in Wizard of Oz : )

For those of you with a weak stomach or no interest in the ins and outs of surgery...or both...skip this post!

Those of you who like the weird and the gross, read on.

One of the coolest surgeries we do is stone removal surgery from the urinary bladder.

Stones can be quite pretty. These look like roses to me.

We take stones out for two reasons - they hurt and they can obstruct the urinary system, especially in males.

Before surgery, we do a physical exam and blood work. When we have patients undergoing anesthesia, we - of course - want it to be as safe as possible.

The day of surgery, the pet is fasted. He or she is sedated and anesthetized. An IV catheter is in and anesthesia monitoring equipment is hooked up.

The pet is placed on their back on the surgery table in the surgery room. Lights are aimed at their belly.

Warning! Here is the gross/cool part...An incision is made into the abdomen and the urinary bladder. The stones are scooped out - I am not making this up - with a tiny measuring spoon. We have three. They say "smidge," "sprinkle" and "pinch." I use the "smidge" spoon, the smallest one.

The bladder incision and the abdominal wall incision are sewn back up and x-rays are taken to make sure all of the stones are out. The stones are sent to a lab for analysis.

Everyone who has had a rabbit or rodent seems to have had one of these! (It was difficult to find a friend who did not already have one!) And I got a lot of good feedback on the igloo.

Our guinea pig Piggy loved his. He did not climb it as some more adventurous piggies might, but he did like to spend time in his igloo.

From friends on the Igloo...

"My rats loved those things." -Jeremy Coffey

"My rats used them. The guinea pigs never cared to go in them but would push them around. All my rabbits were too big." -Alicia Weiland

"Have one for my piggie. Good quality. Easy clean. Sort of large for a pig, but he enjoys it." -Monica Massengale

"Penelope has some thing similar, and loves it!" -Nicole Dawson

"I haven't used them for my own piggies but we use them at Town and Country all the time!" -Kellie Marie

"I think my gerbils would destroy it." -Sara Tifft"

We always had to avoid these with our gerbils. They would have ingested pieces of it, too. We stuck with wooden or cardboard houses." -Kylee Karre

"I no longer have guinea pigs but when I did, they loved these. They would even move them like little turtles to the food dish." -Angela Bohling

"We had one that the piggies fought over. They loved it and did the turtle thing too--mainly because they knew if they left it, the other would steal it. I never figured out what the knobby things on the top were for..." -Cathy Babcock

Too small for almost any dog!

Luna is not impressed.

For a dog who constantly wags her tail, Joy found the igloo quite restricting.

So there you have it! Too small for (dogs and) bunnies. Not ideal for chewers like gerbils. But for guinea pigs and rats, both of whom appreciate a hiding space, these are a great addition to their habitat!

This is one strip of a series I created called, "When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Vet" from 2011 - 2012. You've asked if I am going to draw the comic again, and I loved doing it, so maybe. I started the comic to process difficult things in my career, and thankfully, I have not had so much to process once I got this all into comic form!